Search form

Everybody deserves a chance in life – and when that chance comes along you need to take it.

So when RedFaces uploaded some tunes on to SoundCloud, they knew – just knew – that this was their time. Supported by BBC Introducing, major label force RCA swooped in and released incendiary debut single ‘Kerosene’.

“We were all school-mates,” explains singer Harry Lyon. “We were mates before we were in the band already. It’s just that we all loved music. Particularly because in our town there weren’t many other people who liked the same sort of music that we did. It was lucky that we were all mates.”

The group began by jamming in each other’s bedrooms – “just covers, like your classic Oasis songs that we all start on” – before their ambitions took them somewhere rather more individual.

Heading down to a studio in Staines, RedFaces were able to focus on new material, cut off from the distractions of home. “Staines is a bit of a weird place,” he muses. “They have this suburb next to it… It’s one of those places where it’s literally a town based on a long road, like a motorway. There’s not much there.”

“It’s one of them places where it’s kind of depressing – it’s so bleak, and there’s nothing there. It’s good when you’re in a studio like that and you can detach yourself, keep recording.”

Fuzzed out psychedelia matched to crunching rock riffs, the faint traces of Britpop in RedFaces’ sound make for something extremely addictive. Gritty tales of urban life in the UK right now, there’s a slight political edge to everything the band put out.

“It’s a weird one because I think our generation have more of an idea of politics compared to my parents, or the generation above them, thought at our age. Because of social media a lot of it is blurted in your face.”

“I think for us, musically, it’s a good way to portray your views, and get your views across and express your political agenda. And there’s a lot of bands now who are very politically driven. I think we need it sometimes”.

The band really come into their own when playing live, with RedFaces scorching across the Clash Stage at this year’s Great Escape. “High energy!” he beams. “If I’m not drenched in sweat by the end of it then… I’m very sorry! I’ll have let you down if I’m not!”

“We’re trying to just make it as fun as possible. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We try to have a laugh onstage, so people can just join in and have a laugh and everything. I hope people enjoy it as much as we do.”

Oh, and one last thing… that name. “That was a school gig we did. We were pretty young, actually, because we were still only playing covers back then. We all went bright red! We didn’t have a name, and then someone suggested it to us and it stuck.”